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Planning

Understanding intakes and deadlines for application planning

The difference between start dates, application opening dates, and deadlines — plus a simple way to build your application calendar.

5 min readUpdated: August 4, 2026

Do not confuse the three key dates

The course start date, the date applications open, and the final submission deadline are different. Scholarship, housing, or language-document deadlines may also be earlier than the main application deadline.

Plan backwards from the official deadline

Build your personal calendar backwards from the official deadline and leave buffer time for translation, tests, references, reviews, and unexpected issues. The goal is to avoid preparing the application on the final day.

  • Internal deadline for preparing documents
  • Reference-letter deadline
  • CV and statement review deadline
  • Target submission date before the official deadline
  • Time to confirm receipt and provide additional documents

Verify dates again before acting

Deadlines can change, and an intake may fill early. Recheck dates on the institution's official website before making a financial commitment or submitting the final application.